


Mage&Zoomer

by opheliaryne



Category: Dustin Henderson - Fandom, El Hopper - Fandom, Lucas Sinclair - Fandom, Max Mayfield - Fandom, Stranger Things - Fandom, eleven - Fandom, mike wheeler - Fandom, will byers - Fandom
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:27:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21878131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opheliaryne/pseuds/opheliaryne
Summary: Eleven doesn’t like Max. She never has. Or so everyone thought? An unlikely problem will bring the two together and what’ll happen?
Relationships: Henclair - Relationship, Jopper - Relationship, byler - Relationship, elmax
Comments: 3
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

Hi. I’m Max Mayfield and today, I played a part in murdering someone. 

To understand why I did what I did: why i’m currently standing on the edge of a 6 foot deep hole with my foot resting on the edge of a shovel, why i’m stood here with El Hopper forming a reluctant friendship, we’d have to go from the beginning. Not the very beginning, but from the night where The Party came back into my life.

First, a recap, after El came back to Hawkins that one night and showed her very obvious dislike to me I had decided that after the snowball I would cut all ties, so I did. After everything was done and sorted and the dance was over. I hugged Lucas, Dustin and Will one last time before never speaking to them properly again. That was 4 years ago. I’m 17 now and started the school year with the very same intention, but I got sidetracked by our very own, Lucas Sinclair, he had said that he only wanted to know how everything was going with me and home. He knew about Billy too so I just thought... Why not? It’s just one hangout and then everything can go back to normal, God knows I needed someone to talk to anyway. 

I had a new group of friends. It wasn’t the party but it was something. They accepted me. They included me. They all liked me. But I cant deny they were a bad group. We were a bad group. I mean my group consisted of Troy Harrington, Stacey Albright and their goons and then me and my closer friends Beverly Marsh, Caitlin Snow, Samira Dean and Sofia Falcone. 

Beverly is the ‘slut’ of our year, at first it was all lies, but soon Beverly decided that there was no point to continue fighting against their lies, so she just gave in and when everyone saw her giving in, they gave up. Beverly’s not a bad person, really sweet actually, she’s also the first person I came out to. Yes. I’m Bi, and so is she. Out of our group i’d have to say I was closest to her, sometimes she could be mean and passive aggressive, but really she was the sweetest girl ever. My best friend.

Caitlin? Well, she wanted to be a scientist when she was older, she couldn’t really stand anyone as well, but she was sweet and was fun to be around. I met her through a science fair I had gone to, god knows why, but she was upset about not winning and me? well, I made her win, not literally, but i made her feel like she did and we became best friends after that. 

Sam Dean... She’s literally the most popular girl in our year. Everyone loves her. Everyone thinks she’s so sweet and innocent, but she’s not. Well no. She is sweet, but she’s not innocent. Sam hates that everyone see’s her like that, but she deals with it ‘Better than them treating me like how they use to treat Bev’ She says. We’re the only ones who know how she really is and I couldn’t even begin to get into that right now. 

Sofia? Well she’s worse than me. Her family had some type of gang in New York and she got ‘moved from the drama’ really? She just brought the drama with her. She hated pretty much everyone and started fights wherever she could. She was manipulative and could be really nasty. She also hated rules, but she cares for her own and in this case, we were her own.

So, on the night that Lucas said he wanted to meet me, when Sofia said ‘Let’s go checkout what’s so bad about Hawkins Lab’ I thought ‘Why not? They won’t see anything’. It was a dumb decision.


	2. Chapter 2

“She’s not texting me back.” Lucas whined, while pacing. 

“Yeah, she probably remembered that she doesn’t like us. Oh! And that we don’t like her.” Mike groaned, but no one else did. El slapped his arm. 

“What? El you’re literally the reason she left us.” Mike said in an attempt to shield himself from the rest of the parties glares. 

Something about that statement hurt the young girl. She knew he was right, but she had wanted to fix that ever since she started at Hawkins High at the age of 15, she even tried a few times, that’s how badly she wanted to be Max’s friend, but she hated her and it was her fault. 

“Shut up, Mike the only people here that hate her is you and your girlfriend and the only people she hates is oh! You and your girlfriend.” Will said disdainfully as he scribbled in his notebook. 

You never saw Will without his notebook, if he wasn’t writing he was doodling, but it was always there, it always was after El had closed the gate and they ‘unflayed’ Will, I mean after that last incident Will suffered from a ton of things, PTSD, Anxiety, Depression and so on, but he would never be caught dead talking about it and that’s where the notebook came in, his best friend. 

El was hurt at the fact that Will didn’t call her ‘El’ or even ‘Eleven’ but she brushed it off, she was use to it now. 

Hopper and Joyce had been together for 4 years now and Will still hadn’t warmed up to her entirely El just put it down to it being his ‘persona’, but she knew it wasn’t.

“I’m worried. What if she’s hurt? What if Billy did something?” Lucas rambled. 

“Shit, you’re right” Dustin said, speaking up. 

Dustin missed Max and always tried his hardest to talk to her, but she never accepted it, she’d just push him further away and if it wasn’t her it was one of her many friends. El always wondered how one girl could have so many friends and still be one of the most intimidating girls in their year, but that was just Max’s impact and maybe even her brothers with the way the boys spoke about him. 

Mike’s and the other boys’ faces dropped at the thought of Max’s brother. 

El knew all about what had happened when she was gone, I mean Mike couldn’t help but to talk about the whole ordeal of Max and Billy with awe in his eyes, but they all didn’t believe that Max’s threat would’ve lasted that long and the first time she came to school with a hastily covered black eye they knew they were right.

“I can find her” El said. 

“Stop fucking with us, Hopper” Will said as he hastily typed away on his phone. 

“No, I can. I can find her.” El added. 

“Guys, we should go to her house or something.” Lucas said, readying to leave Mike’s basement. 

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean if Billy see’s you-“ Mike trailed off. 

Dustin and Will started getting ready nonetheless as Lucas opened the door. 

El got angry and shouted. 

“I can find her!” The basement door slammed shut and the room shook slightly. 

As El calmed down the boys sat back in their seats slowly. 

“Find her then.” Will breathed. 

Soon enough, El was sat on the floor with a sock tied around her eyes (it was the best the boys could find on such short notice) and radio static playing. 

El sat and started to think about Max, her hair, her style, her skateboard, her voice, and in a few seconds El was stood right next to her.


	3. Chapter 3

Max was clad in black from head to toe, black turtleneck, black beanie, black jeans, black trainers, black leather jacket that you would never see her without, with that El looked around and noticed all her friends were dressed in all black too, including Beverly who never wore too much black. 

“Okay, guys. Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.” Max said, her skateboard tucked safely under her arm. 

“Stop being a pussy, Max! What could be so bad about this place anyways.” One of Max’s friends, Sofia, said. 

Max sighed and jogged to catch up with her friends. 

El looked around and gasped. 

“H-Hawkins Lab.” El whispered. 

A scuffle of commotion started up around her but died down quickly as Mike hastily ‘Shh’ed the boys. 

“Guys, come on! I’m gonna be late to see Lucas!” Max whined, still holding back from the others. 

“Isn’t he friends with that one couple? The weirdo’s? Mike and El?” One of Max’s other friends, Beverly, said as she delved deeper into the lab. 

El pouted and she heard Mike mumble something too. 

“They’re not... weirdo’s, but yes he is friends with them and he’ll be really upset if I stand him up, meaning that he will tell said couple and they’ll give me shit, but i’m not leaving without you guys so let’s go!” Max shouted. 

El wanted to say ‘I wouldn’t give you shit.” but she refrained. 

“Max, Shut u-“ Sofia was cut off by her own scream as a demodog came out of nowhere and latched itself to her side Max ran forward and then disintegrated her friends and the lab doing the same soon after, leaving El in darkness. 

“Max? Max! Sofia? Beverly? Max, where are you? Max!” El screamed. 

Mike dragged the sock off El’s face and dragged her up, El obliged as she notice the other three boys already making their way upstairs. 

They clambered onto their bikes quickly and rode off towards Hawkins Lab. El was left with Mike, who lagged behind the other boys. 

“Mike, hurry!” El shouted from behind him as the wind whipped through her hair. 

“I’m going as fast as i can!” Mike snapped trying to speed up. 

It took them a while, but they eventually got to the Lab, all of them dropping their bikes and running inside

Usually, El would’ve got shivers being back inside her ‘childhood home’ but this time she didn’t, all she could think about was saving Max.

The group ran behind El who had somehow ran faster than them towards where Max was. 

They heard a cry and a series of loud hits. 

El ran forward as the demodog that Max was hastily fighting off with her skateboard, appeared in sight. 

El outstretched her hand and focused on the dog trying to gnaw at Max and flung it towards a wall. 

She kept flinging it side to side until she knew it was dead and even then El had to make sure, so she picked up shards of broken glass and sent them flying into the monsters body, impaling it before throwing it into a hidden spot. 

Lucas, Dustin and Will rushed towards Max and hugged her. 

“Jesus, are you okay? You’re bleeding!” Will rambled. 

“I-It’s not mi-mine.” Max whispered in shock as she pulled herself from the three boys and turned to her friends. 

One was laid on the floor in a pool of dark blood and the other three were gathered around her. 

“Max? Max! Is it gone? Can we turn around now?” One of the girls, Sam Dean, hastily asked. 

“Yeah- Yeah, you can. We’re getting help.” Max whispered, dropping her broken skateboard. 

Max fell to her knees and Beverly rushed to her aid. 

“Why the fuck are you just standing there? Do something!” Beverly shouted.

Mike nudged El. 

“Call Hopper and Joyce.” He said as he stripped his hoodie off and ran to the girl who was injured with Will. 

Lucas and Dustin had joined Beverly around Max. 

El shakily pulled out her phone and called Hopper. She struggled to get everything out but she did and to her it felt like seconds but also hours until the adults got to her.

Hopper and Johnathan rushed past El and picked both girls up, the others tailing behind. 

Even though El was still walking and talking she was pretty sure she blacked out, because she didn’t remember anything until they reached the hospital.


	4. Chapter 4

Everyone, but Max’s family who Max had begged Hopper not to call, was in her room. 

“God, Kid, what were you thinking?” Hopper shouted. 

“Hopper, go easy on her, she’s still hurt.” Joyce said as she rubbed Max’s back. 

“She could’ve been killed, Joyce!” Hopper retaliated. 

“I wish I was.” Max mumbled. 

It seemed like something of an inside thought, but when the room went silent Max realised that she had said it out loud. 

The redhead didn’t bother looking up to meet everyone’s pitiful gazes. She kept her eyes trained on her black trainers that were soaked in blood. 

“Can you guys..?” Joyce drifted, looking at everyone. 

They all nodded and one by one left Max’s hospital room. 

It didn’t take long before they heard loud sobs emanating from the room. 

The group of kids all moved out into the waiting room. 

“Is your friend going to be okay?” El asked. 

“Which one?” Beverly asked, sourly. 

“Max. Both.” El said sheepishly, feeling rude if she only asked about Max’s well-being and not Sofia’s. 

“Frankly? I don’t know.” Beverly said with a shrug. 

“Do any of you... Know what that was?” Caitlin spoke up. 

“A big dog maybe? A feral one for sure. Did you uhm- Did you get a good look?” Dustin inquired. 

The girls shook their heads. 

“No, we didn’t, but Max did and Sofia might’ve. Max was fighting it off she told us to keep looking at Sofia and not to look at her or the... thing.” Caitlin explained. 

“Yeah well I think it was a dog.” Dustin said.

The girl nodded sinking into her chair. 

“Why did Max call you guys? And how did the dog end up out of sight as soon as you got here? I heard a lot of banging and then nothing. What did you do?” Sam Dean, possibly the nicest of the group, but everyone identified her as the one with the lightest hair, asked. 

“She didn’t, I have a tracker app with her... That she agreed to of course! And when we got there we fought it for a bit then it ran.” Lucas explained and then hurriedly fixed when he received a weird look from the three girls. 

“What were you thinking? Going to the Lab.” Nancy asked on behalf of Hopper. 

“It was Sofia’s idea. She was bored and wanted to see what all the hype was about.” Sam explained tapping her fingers against the chair arm. 

“She always wants to see what all the hypes about.” Beverly said, you could practically see anger radiating off her as she glared at the ground. 

“Max didn’t want to do it. I mean she agreed but she kept warning us. Trying to get us to go back... She didn’t want to miss her date with you.” Caitlin added. 

Lucas nodded with a sad smile and looked down. 

Nancy also nodded and looked back towards Hopper who shrugged. 

“You kids want anything?” Jonathan said as he got up, waving his money. 

The kids shook their heads and Jonathan walked off towards a vending machine. 

“You’re unusually quiet.” Beverly said as she let her glare rest on Mike. 

“Bev, don’t.” Caitlin said. 

“Don’t what? I’m just saying I mean everyone has contributed to this conversation but him. I mean, why are you even here? You don’t like Max.” Beverly said her voice slowly getting louder. 

“Beverly!” Sam shouted. 

“You’re acting like I didn’t help Sofia. If I wasn’t for me she would’ve been dead on the floor of Hawkins Lab.” Mike snapped back earning him a slap on the arm from Nancy, El sat up, pulling herself from his embrace and looked at him with disappointment. 

El loved Mike, everyone did, he was a great friend, a great person too when he wanted to be but he was also kid, caring, compassionate, but sometimes Mike spoke without thinking or just said what he was thinking before properly processing it, it was probably a perk of him being awkward for most of his childhood life, the awkwardness must’ve left that perk as a parting gift. 

After Mike saw the looks he was receiving he realised the error of his words. 

“Sorry.” Mike mumbled. 

Beverly brought her lips into a tight smile. 

“No. No, you’re right. Thank you, Michael.” She hissed before going back to glaring at the ground. 

“It’s actually... just Mike.” Mike whispered in return. 

El squeezed Mike’s hand and he just shrugged in response. 

Hopper rested his arm on El’s shoulder comfortingly and El leaned towards him, feeling happy to receive comfort from someone who everyone didn’t completely hate at that moment. 

Joyce then came out Max’s room at the same time that the doctor and Sophia’s parents did. 

“Sofia will be okay. She suffered no serious damage surprisingly. She’ll probably be released in a few days.” The doctor nodded and cast a smile towards everyone before walking away. 

“You can all go home. Thank you.” Sophia’s parents said, smiling. 

El didn’t know what Hopper told them but it clearly wasn’t the truth, or maybe it was and they were just really nice people. 

The three girls nodded at Sophia’s parents who then went back into their daughters room, Joyce then spoke up. 

“Max says she wants to go home.” She whispered. 

The girls nodded and Max slowly came out of the room. Sam wrapped her arm around Max as soon as she reached her. 

“We haven’t got a car...” Beverly then said. 

“Oh! I can drive you. I’ll take Johnathan’s” Nancy said as she swiped Johnathan’s car keys and started to lead the girls out of the hospital. 

Max avoided looking at the party and for some reason that sent a sharp pain through El’s chest, but she ignored it as Mike squeezed her hand tightly, sensing something up with her.


	5. Chapter 5

When the party got back to Mike’s they had already agreed to sleep there so they set everything up and got comfortable. El was the first to fall asleep, but she was soon awoken by hushed voices. 

“Are you okay?” The first voice belonged to Lucas. 

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you. For coming.” The other voice, a voice that belonged to Max Mayfield, whispered. 

Lucas sounded tired but Max sounded wide awake. ‘she probably couldn’t sleep’ El thought. 

El peeked out of her little den and found Will, Lucas and Dustin all laying behind a lit up phone, El sighed wishing she was as close to Max as they were. 

“Max, we wouldn’t just leave you, you’re still our friend.” Will whispered.

“Careful, you don’t want Mike or El to hear you say that.” El flinched as Max said that. 

“Mike and El have each other they don’t care about the rest of us.” Will snapped. 

“You sound like you have some unsettled beef, Byers.” Max said with a light giggle, her attempt to lighten the mood. 

“Well, he’s right... I mean... It’s just crazy how much those guys miss out on because they’re too busy sucking face, like I could be telling them that I was dying and they’d probably just nod and start kissing.” Dustin said. 

“Guys, come on, they both love us, dearly and endlessly. They’re just kids in love.” Lucas justified. 

El felt tears brimming in her eyes, she didn’t want her friends to feel like this, but no matter how much anyone tried to justify it they were right.

Will then scoffed. 

“Kids in love’. Yeah they’ve been in love since we were 11. That’s 6 years they’ve missed with us. I mean how can two people be somewhere, but not really be there.” Will said, his voice got sadder towards the end and El held a pillow to her mouth, to silence herself. 

“Yeah, this conversation has killed my mood. I’m gonna try and go to sleep. Night, Mad Max.” Dustin whispered with a yawn. 

“Night, Dusty-Bun.” Max said with a mischievous giggle and Dustin just sighed, causing Max to giggle more. 

“Night, Guys.” Dustin said as he got tucked in near to Mike. 

“Night, Dustin.” Lucas and Will chorused. 

“Lucas do you think you could go to bed too? I need to talk to Will.” Max said. 

“Are you... sending me to bed, Maxine?” Lucas asked. 

“I sure am, Lukey.” Max sassed back. 

“Please don’t call me that” Lucas mumbled. 

“Don’t call me Maxine then, now go to sleep.” Max shouted. 

Lucas mumbled incoherent things as he crawled away from Will and into his sleeping bag. 

“We haven’t talked properly in like forever, actually, I don’t think we’ve ever talked properly, but i’m here now and i want to hear you so, talk to me.” Max said. 

There was a long pause before Will coughed, probably to check if anyone was awake, but everyone was fast asleep, everyone but El who stayed quiet. 

“Dustin?” Will whispered. 

His reply was a loud snore.

“Lucas?” Will whispered. 

No answer, but heavy breathing. 

“Mike?” Will whispered.

Soft snores answered to Will’s call. 

“El?” Will then asked. 

El froze before softly breathing, to give off the illusion that she was asleep. It worked. 

“Everyone asleep?” Max asked. 

“Yeah, so try to stay quiet.” Will mumbled. 

“Affirmative.” Max replied. 

There was another long pause before Will started. 

“Max, do you know i’m gay?” He asked. 

“Yeah. It’s like the most obvious thing.” Max whispered. 

“Yeah, Dustin and Lucas said that when I denied it to them, but that’s beside the point, everyone but El and Mike have realised that i’m gay, wanna know why?”

Max didn’t speak. 

“Because Mike couldn’t give less of a shit about me anymore and El? Well, I can’t blame her. She missed the first 11 years of school and instead of naturally going to school when she had the chance, aka after all the upside down business, and catching up she decided to get into a relationship and missed a few more years of school. Hopper did his best teaching her and thank god she’s a fast learner but Max, there are still things that she doesn’t understand, which is fine, but with the amount of time she spends with Mike? I would’ve expected him to offer at least a bit of help. I can guarantee if I was to tell El that I was gay she’d have no idea what i’m talking about, because Mike hasn’t introduced El to the fact that people can like more than one gender. Mike must think she’s straight cause the minute he met her they jumped into a relationship and now claim they’re in love. I mean please what on earth can explain why El hated you straight off the bat like that? Nothing. And you know what makes this whole situation even better? Not only am i gay, but i’m gay and have the most colossal crush on Mike fucking Wheeler.” Will ended his rant and El’s breathing shifted, now she understood. 

She wanted to be angry at the things Will had said but it was true, El had only the vaguest clue of what being gay was and that was because of insults thrown around at school. 

“Jesus, Will, you definitely have every right to be mad.” Max said. 

There was a long break and Max sighed. 

“It’ll get better, okay? Mike and El cant be clingy forever they’ll eventually realise that they’re pushing you, all of you, away and make time for you guys. As for El? She’s your sister now Will, instead of being mad at her-and I know you can’t help it- but instead of being mad help her, teach her. As for that last bit? You can do better.” Max said. 

Will laughed.

“Thank you, Max. You know I didn’t really get to know you before you left the party but you were the coolest and you still are. Goodnight.” Will said as he drifted off. 

“Good night, Will The Wise.” Max giggled and hung up. 

The room then went silent leaving El to her own thoughts and the sound of her blood running through her body and her heart beating. El cried herself to sleep that night.


	6. Chapter 6

When El woke up in the morning she woke up to absolute chaos. 

“Where’s Will?” Mike shouted while pacing around his basement.

Dustin groaned and slammed his head into his pillow. 

“Mike, he probably went home” Lucas explained following him. 

Mike held his phone to his ear and carried on pacing. 

“But why would he do that? And without telling us? What if something happened?” Mike rambled. 

El crawled out of her den. 

“Hey, El, you’re awake. Have you seen Will?” Mike asked as he slowed his pacing and approached El. 

El rubbed her arms remembering the conversation from last night, she was sure he had fell asleep. 

“No.” El answered as she stood up. 

“Mike, will you just shut up? Will’s a big boy. He’s. Fine. And he’s been fine for- 5 years now.” Dustin said, pausing to count the years between the parties last encounter with anything from the upside down. 

“But, what if, Dustin? I mean we saw a demodog last night! And they’re meant to be dead!” Mike shouted. 

Dustin sighed audibly. 

“I’m going. It’s too early for this we have school later.” Dustin got up, got his things and left the basement. 

“Dustin! No, Dustin-“ Lucas started. 

“El, will you calm your boyfriend down and tell him that your brother is fine.” Lucas said. 

“Mike, Will is fine. Here i’ll prove it. I’ll call him.” El said as she reached for her phone. 

“I’ve been calling him he won’t answer!” Mike said as he sat on the floor. 

El started to dial Will’s number. 

After 5 rings he answered, El put him on speaker. 

“I swear this better be important. It’s 6 in the damn morning and Mike’s been calling me non stop since half 5.” Will shouted. 

“He just wanted to know if you were okay cause you left in the middle of the night. He thought.... You know...” El mumbled. 

There was a long pause. 

“I’m fine.” Will said bleakly.

“Okay.” El said. 

“Wait, why you didn’t you-“ Mike started to speak but was cut off by the beeping of Will hanging up. 

“-answer me...” Mike mumbled. 

Lucas rubbed his shoulder. 

“You know what i’m gonna... I’m gonna go too... See you two at school.” Lucas said as he gathered his things and left the couple alone in Mike’s basement. 

El walked over to Mike and kneeled down.

“You’re a good friend, Mike, but Will is a big boy now. He knows what he’s doing.” El, whispered as she cupped Mike’s face in her hands. 

“I know. I know. I just love him, you know, as a friend! As a friend obviously.” Mike said with a cautious laugh. 

“I know.” El said. 

El felt weird, she had felt it for a while but after what Mike had just said she was feeling it 10x harder. It wasn’t that she had ‘fallen out of love’- yeah she knew what that was- she could never fall out of love with mike, but something had changed, something wasn’t the same as before, maybe it never was, maybe they just made themselves believe it was, El knew it wasn’t just her either, something had changed with Mike too and Mike already knew but was trying his best to hide it. 

“Mike, whats ‘gay’?” El said, she sounded stupid but had to ask, she knew what it was from Will’s conversation but assumed there was more to it. 

Mike stared at El with a confused expression before standing up. 

“Well, gay is when a guy likes another guy” Mike explained as he started to clean his basement of all the sleeping stuff strewn around. 

“like... as a friend?” El knew, but still needed confirmation. 

“No, like how we like each other, as boyfriends.” Mike said with a smile. 

“What else?” El asked. 

“Oh... You wanna know about the LGBT?” Mike asked. 

El was confused but nodded. 

“Okay, well it’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. Lesbians are girls that like other girls. Gays are guys that like other guys. Bisexuals are people that like both genders and transgender is a person whose sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with their birth sex.” Mike explained and El nodded. 

“Could I be any of those?” She asked innocently. 

“Sure.” Mike said with a shrug. 

“Are you any of those?” El asked. 

“What? No!” Mike said before hastily cleaning the rest of his basement.

Mike didn’t know why he reacted the way he did, he was more mature than that, but for some reason. He felt exposed, like El had revealed some kind of secret of his, but Mike wasn’t gay, he knew he wasn’t gay. ‘You can’t be gay with a girlfriend’ Mike thought. He then mentally face-palmed. bisexuality, but Mike wasn’t bi either. He was straight. He knew he was. 

“Mike? Mike!” El brought Mike out of his trance. 

“Yeah?” Mike said, he had made it half way across the basement and didn’t even remember moving. 

“Did you hear me?” El asked, with a worried expression. 

“No... No, sorry, can you say it again?” Mike said as he packed everything into a cupboard and rubbed his temples. 

El hugged him from behind. 

“I said... Can we walk home from school today, you can come to mine? aka the byers. and this way you can talk to Will.” El said as she rested her head against his back.

Mike felt weird, he didn’t feel the same way that he usually did towards El, but he pushed the feeling down and nodded. 

“Course, El.” Mike said, intertwining his fingers with hers.

“I’m gonna go ask Nancy if I can borrow some of her clothes since mine are.. bloody.” El said, as she unwrapped herself from Mike and extended her arms in his oversized jumper. 

“Yeah, go ahead, I think my mom’s put your other clothes to be washed.” Mike nodded smiling warmly at El. 

El smiled before running up Mike’s basement stairs and going up into the house. 

She was immediately greeted by Holly who came barrelling out of the kitchen. 

“El!” Holly said as she jumped on her. 

“Hi, Holly!” El said as she hugged her tightly and swung her around. 

The young girl giggled and hugged the older girl even tighter.

“Hi, El.” Mike’s mom, Karen, shouted from the kitchen. 

“Hi!” El shouted back, politely. 

El then lowered Holly. 

“Give me 5 minutes i’ll be right back, okay?” El whispered to the young girl. 

Holly nodded and ran into the living room, leaping onto a sleeping Ted. 

El hurriedly ran upstairs and stopped outside Nancy’s room. 

It was nearly 7, Nancy had to be awake. El knocked on the door loudly and waited, before opening the door. 

“Hey, Nance, I knocked but-“ El was cut off by Nancy practically throwing Johnathan of her and staring at El like a deer caught in headlights 

“El!” Nancy, shouted. 

“Nancy!” El shouted back. 

“El!” Johnathan then shouted. 

“Johnathan?” El questioned more than shouted. 

Mike then came up to the door. 

“Johnathan?” He said. 

“Mike!” Both Johnathan and Nancy shouted. 

El was still frozen. 

“Get out!” Nancy shouted. 

El started to close the door. 

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I knocked I swear! I didn’t see anything!” El rambled as she slammed the door shut and covered her eyes. 

El waited outside the door, with her eyes covered, Mike then started laughing. 

“Why are you laughing?” El asked, pouting. 

“I’m sorry! I didn’t see anything!” Mike mocked with a girly voice. 

El hit his chest while laughing. 

“It’s not funny!” El retorted. 

“Just a lil bit?” Mike asked. 

El rolled her eyes and flipped him off. 

“Heyyy, our little El is getting bold!” Mike said with a laugh. 

“Shut up!” El shouted, with a giggle as Nancy then opened the door, with a flustered look. 

She flattened her hair and took a deep breath, passing El some clothes with a pair of black boots standing on top. 

El took the clothes with a shy smile, thanking her, Nancy smiled back before glaring at Mike and closing the door. 

“You can get changed in my room, I’ll go into the basement.” Mike said with a smug grin. 

El nodded knowing that he was probably just going to go annoy Nancy some more. 

El went into Mike’s room and shut the door, analysing the clothes Nancy gave her. 

It was a cropped, long sleeve black top that looked tied at the front, with a plaid beige skirt and tights. 

El eventually got the clothes on and looked at herself in the mirror, she looked taller. She thought about stealing the outfit from Nancy before shaking her head. El tightened the belts in the skirt to make sure that the skirt fit her properly and tied the laces on the boots. 

She then brushed her hair with the hairbrush that she had forced Mike to get when they were younger. 

El analysed her face, it wasn’t that bad. She’d be fine. 

El left Mike’s room and went downstairs to see him leaving the basement with their school things. 

Mike’s jaw fell open and El smiled. 

“You look-“ Mike trailed off. 

“What? Is it bad?” El said, suddenly becoming insecure. 

“No! No. You look... Amazing.” Mike said, recovering. 

El smiled and kissed his cheek, taking her bag from him in the process. 

“Thanks, Mikey, where’s Holly?” El asked looking around. 

“Asleep.” Mike said, pointing at his father who had holly laid on top of him fast asleep. 

“We need to go, El, It’s 7:30 and we’re walking to school.” Mike hastily said, grabbing his house keys. 

“Bye mom!” Mike shouted as he dragged El out the door. 

“Wait, you haven’t eaten!” Karen shouted, but was cut off by Mike slamming the door behind him and his girlfriend. 

El stared at him inquisitively.

“We’ll stop for food.” Mike assured, before the two started their treks towards Hawkins High. 

After El and Mike had stopped for food she found herself in great mood, even as she walked up the stairs to Hawkins High. 

Max and her gang were already there on one side of the steps.


	7. Chapter 7

Max was sat on the wall, one knee drawn up towards her chest and a cigarette between her lips, She wore a black sleeveless cropped top that was see through on the lower half, black cargo pants, with a long belt that held them up, her signature leather jacket and white airforce, her fiery red hair cascaded down her back and shoulders. She didn’t look like the girl El had seen last night, pained and torn, here she looked powerful, like nothing could stand in here way, like nothing had even happened last night. 

El hadn’t realised she was checking her out until she noticed Max staring right back at her, El blushed and moved her attention to the rest of her gang. 

Beverly, who was leaning by Max’s feet, wearing her signature look a white floral dress and boots, that made her look so sweet and innocent, everything that she wasn’t, she nonchalantly held a cigarette in her mouth too with one foot resting on Max’s skateboard. Beverly always looked so sweet and she could be, but mostly, after years of bullying the other redhead’s default was to come off as cold and calloused to anyone and of course Beverly looked like she did any other day, not like their best friend had nearly died just hours ago. 

Then there was Troy, Mike’s childhood bully, he made El’s blood boil. She didn’t even know how Max could be friends with him, but he hadn’t messed with the boys since El’s incident with him and they hadn’t told Max about his continuous bullying throughout their childhood, it was likely that she didn’t know, but still he was still a mean guy and a bully, which was everything Max wasn’t and he also dated Stacey Albright, but with how he acted around Max you could tell he had the biggest crush on her. 

Stacey, who was flanked by a bunch of cheerleaders, was showing her nails off to a very unamused Sam Dean, who grinned through her very obvious discomfort anyways. Nothing ever got to Sam, that’s why everyone wanted to be here, she had a perfect life, perfect face, perfect everything. If anything was wrong in her life you wouldn’t know, just like you couldn’t tell that any thing had happened to her or her friends last night. 

Stacey glared at El, she had never liked her, but Sam offered El a warm smile which El returned, El then moved her attention to Caitlin. 

Caitlin was leaned against the doors to the school, reading something off her phone, probably something about science since that’s what she was known for, right know you definitely couldn’t tell that Caitlin had very nearly brushed death last night. 

El’s mind then drifted back to Max and how beautiful she was. She had changed so much since when they had first met, her style, her personality, but El knew deep down that she was still the same girl that the boys had known. El then shook her head, squeezing Mikes hand, who lead her through the doors of Hawkins High and into the bustling school. 

“Hey, you okay?” Mike asked as they approached his locker. 

El didn’t want to lie to him, but how exactly do you explain that you might’ve crushing on a girl that you’re supposed to hate to your boyfriend? exactly. you just can’t. 

El nodded. 

“Yeah, fine.” El said “Hurry up and let’s go find Will and the others.” 

Mike nodded and let El drag him towards their home room, where the rest of the party were. 

It was awkward, but they all greeted each other and started up a conversation giving off the illusion that everything was fine. 

Every now and then Will would look over to Mike to see him already looking at him and El was seeing all of this. 

The party carried on their conversations and soon the room went quiet, the party turned towards the rest of the room who’s eyes were trained on the door. 

The party then looked towards the door to see Max and her gang nonchalantly stood there. 

“Mike.” Max said blankly as she held the hoodie that he had used to cover Sofia’s wound last night out towards him, freshly washed too. 

Mike looked confused, but took the hoodie from her. 

“Thanks.” He mumbled. 

As soon as Mike looked back up the group had gone leaving Max alone, her eyes rested on El for a moment before she walked away too. 

Mike walked back towards the party still looking confused. 

“Well, that was odd.” Dustin said. 

Lucas looked sad for a moment. 

“She’s changed so much.” He whispered. 

“Maybe it’s for the best.” Will shrugged.

“What’s that meant to mean?” Mike asked as he folded his hoodie into his back. 

“Just that maybe we should all change, right? Grow up? Right, Mike?” Will said, venom practically dripping off his voice. 

“Will, that was years ago I told you I was sorry.” Mike said looking exasperated. 

“Fuck your sorry’s, Mike, sometimes the things you say and do hurt people.” Will retorted before walking out. 

El put her head on the desk. Everything around her was falling a part and she couldn’t fix it. She felt useless. 

The rest of the day went by slowly and awkwardly. At lunch it was only Mike, Lucas and El, Dustin and Will didn’t show, Will rarely did anyway and Dustin did 4/5 times a week since he usually went to see his older friends Robin and Steve.


	8. Chapter 8

At the end of the day Mike and El decided to go the long way to the Byers, meaning it would’ve taken them like 1 hour to get there and Mike wanted to stop at the shop. El waited outside liking the fresh air. 

El looked around at all the other kids walking around and then she saw it. A girl. A girl with a shaved head in a hospital gown running barefoot. She looked like El when she left the lab. 

“Mike. Mike! Mike, hurry up!” El said as she followed the girl with her eyes.

There was no answer. 

The girl ran into the woods and El could wait no longer, El dropped her bag and ran after the girl, nearly getting ran over in the process. 

El chased the girl through the woods for god knows how long and it had started to become dark. El stopped, resting her hands on her knees, out of breath. 

“Hello! I’m trying to help you!” El shouted. 

“Hello! -Shit!” El shouted, slicking back her hair back with her hands. 

“Hello, Eleven.” A familiar voice said. 

El froze, her blood running cold. El didn’t even have time to turn around before she felt a syringe being forced into her neck. 

El screamed and started to run, Brenner chased after her and leaped onto her. 

He straddled El and held her wrists trying to tie them up. 

El screamed and tried to use her powers but nothing happened. 

“You won’t be able to use your powers, Eleven, that’s what the syringe did.” Brenner explained. 

El wriggled her leg out from beneath him and kicked his chest, sending him backwards. 

“Help! Please, someone help! Mike! Mike, help me!” El screamed frantically. 

El wasn’t able to get away fast enough before Brenner had her again, she felt weak.

“Please! Please! The little girl...” El shouted, grabbing at anything. 

“She wasn’t real, Eleven, I’m sorry.” He said. 

Then there was a loud crack and Brenner fell limply onto El, half a skateboard fell next to El, the same skateboard El had seen last night. El looked up to see a familiar redhead stood over her. 

“What the fuck!” Max shouted, dragging El up. 

El wrenched the half of the skateboard left in Max’s hand from her and hit Brenner repeatedly with it while screaming. 

Max dragged El back. 

“Stop! Stop! He’s dead!” Max shouted, but El couldn’t hear. 

El forced her powers out of her, screaming as she raised Brenner into the air and sent him flying against a tree, branches impaling his body all over. 

Max looked over at Brenner’s body in shock as El collapsed in her arms, crying.

“I thought he was dead, Lucas said... Lucas said he was-“ Max mumbled. 

“I thought he was too...” El cried. 

“You need to call Mike.. C’mon, El, we need to call someone.” Max said as she started to get up. 

“No! No! We can’t!” El shouted, shocking Max. 

“What?” Max said with disbelief. 

“We- We can’t, Max, please. This needs to stay between us. They have to keep thinking he’s dead or they’ll all get scared again... and worry! And I don’t want that and clearly Brenner’s not alone. They’ll get killed!” El rambled. 

“Yeah... So will we.” Max deadpanned. 

“No. No, Max, please.” El begged as she wiped at her nose. 

Max stared at El for a moment.

“Fuck!” She shouted. 

“Go get a shovel. I’ll get his body down.” Max sighed. 

“A shovel? From where?” El asked, getting onto her feet. 

“I don’t know, El, go out onto the main road and look for a shop? There should be one.” Max said, exasperatedly as she tied up her hair. 

Before El left Max had started to scale the tree that Brenner was mounted in, El started to run, not wanting to leave the redhead for too long. 

Once she was on the road she noticed a lit up shop not far away, she practically sprinted to it but stopped as she reached it. She had no money and definitely looked a mess. 

El sighed and started to become stressed, she figured she’d just have to steal it and hope the owner wouldn’t notice. 

When El got inside she realised that the the owner was fast asleep. El smiled looking around frantically for a shovel, hoping to not make much noise. 

Once she found one, she picked it off slowly and tip toed her way back out the store, before running back to Max. 

“That was quick.” Max said when El got back. 

El nodded.

Max then started to delve deeper into the woods dragging Brenner’s body with her. Once they had reached a secluded enough spot, Max dropped the body and took the shovel from El, starting to dig. 

“What time is it?” Max asked. 

El pulled out her phone, which she had safely tucked into her waist and not her bag, thankfully. 

El looked at the time. 

“4:24” El said, she was shocked by how fast the time had gone, The Party was probably sending out a search party by now. 

“Shit.” Max mumbled. 

“Y-You can go. You’ve helped enough.” El mumbled. 

“No. I owe you for last night.” Max said, while still digging. 

“It’s fine, Max, you can-“ El insisted, but was immediately shut down by Max finding the nearest thing and throwing it at her. 

“Shut up.” Max said, suppressing a giggle at a now dirt covered El. 

“Max!” El whined, causing Max to finally start laughing, the laughter was short lived though because Max then went back to her digging, making silence fall over them again.

El then checked her notifications 

15 missed calls from Mikey❤️ 

10 missed calls from Lucas🥰 

10 missed calls from Dusty❣️

5 missed calls from Will☺️

El sighed, before checking her texts. 

Mikey❤️: 

El where are you?   
You left your bag did something happen?   
Everyone is saying they just saw you run off but they don’t know where   
El please answer me   
El  
El please reply or i’ll have to call hopper   
me and the boys are looking for you   
where’d you go el? 

Lucas🥰: 

El come on we’re worried sick   
pls text us back when you see this   
if you’re alive   
i’m hoping you’re alive   
el come on mike is gonna go crazy   
we’re looking for you el   
pls be safe 

Dusty❣️: 

El?   
C’mon el i’ll get you all the eggos you want if you just text me back or someone   
just let us know you’re okay   
pls don’t be dead el  
just text someone please 

Will☺️: 

wya?   
srsly this isn’t funny   
are you doing this to get back at me for leaving this morning or smth?   
can you come back please?   
hopper will kill me and mike if something happens to you   
i hope you have you have a good excuse for this   
hope ur not dead 

Will’s texts were so different from the others, they were nice with much more care and worry while Will’s were just... cold. 

“Max, the boys are texting me, they’re worried. What should I say? I cant tell them about this.” El rambled. 

“You’ve been gone- What? Two hours and they’re blowing up your phone?” Max asked, while dramatically putting a halt to her digging. 

“Yes. I was walking home with Mike when I ran off, he must be losing his mind.” El cried. 

“Ah... So, it’s not the whole group, just Mike?” Max asked, with a smug smirk. 

“No! It’s all of them! See?” El said while thrusting her phone down into the ditch Max was in, feeling the need to prove herself. 

“Hey, you don’t need to prove yourself to me, but you’re a big girl, I feel like you can take care of yourself, I mean you’re extremely good at taking care of others, but hey it’s not my business.” Max shrugged and started digging again. 

“You’re right. It’s not your business.” El said, she didn’t know why she was angry, but she was, not necessarily at Max, but... She didn’t know, she couldn’t explain it. 

Silence soon enveloped both girls, El then realised that she had been on Mike’s chat for too long and he had started to type. 

“Shit!” El hissed, rushing to get off the chat. 

“Tell them you’re with me.” Max said, causing El to nearly jump out of her skin. 

“Where? and doing what?” El asked, incredulously. 

“Do they really need all that information? Will, Lucas and Dustin trust me, okay? Just say ‘I’m with Max’ and they’ll get it.” Max said, tiredness clear in her voice. 

“They don’t need it. Mike does.” El mumbled just loud enough for Max to hear and with that she sent the text and put her phone away.

Max looked up at her and gave her a weak smile. ‘She was getting through to her.’ Max thought. 

Max’s aim wasn’t , nor will it ever be, to break El and Mike up, but she did want to help the girl realise that she can do more on her own, just to help her form an identity outside of what she had. 

“I’ll dig now.” El said. 

Max nodded and climbed out. 

“Wait, isn’t Hopper’s not far from here?” Max asked while looking around. 

El did the same, finding the place familiar.

“Yeah, why?” El asked. 

“We can say we’re there. Not now though, just after we bury this shit.” Max said while kicking Brenner’s limp body. 

After a while of digging El sighed. 

“Is this deep enough?” She asked and Max looked in. 

“Probably too deep, so yeah.” Max nodded and helped El out. 

Max then started by throwing in her broken skateboard reluctantly. 

“What are you doing?” El asked, incredulously. 

“Burying the murder weapon?” Max said but it came out more as a question. 

“Isn’t that your favourite? I always see you with it.” El explained. 

“Yeah, but I’ll be okay.” Max shrugged and El suddenly felt bad. 

Everything came rushing at El, she had just made Max kill some one and bury the body, Max must feel horrible. El had killed before and it had never really taken a toll, she just knew they were bad and deserved it. 

Max on the other hand, she had never killed, El was sure of that. Max could be horrible and she could fight, but murder? No, that’s something different. El felt her stomach turn, she was about to break down.

“Max, i’m so sorry.” El whispered. 

“For what? Wait, you’re not gonna kill me are you?” Max asked and El mustered a laugh. 

“Hey, what’s up?” Max said, sensing her mood. 

“I just- You killed someone... For me... Aren’t you upset?” El asked. 

“Yeah. I’m scared as shit too, but this guy was horrible and he probably would’ve killed you, it was the right thing to do.” Max shrugged. 

“But you hate me.” El whispered. 

“No, well, kind of. You hate me too.” Max rambled.

“I’m sorry... About that.” El mumbled.

Max just shrugged and then proceeded to roll Brenner’s body into the hole. 

Max then scanned over El’s clothes and her own. 

“I look awful. You? Not too bad. We’ll be okay. I can burn these later.” Max said to herself and El looked over herself. 

Max then started to fill the hole back up.


	9. Chapter 9

Now you’re up to date. I played a part in killing and hiding a person to protect El Hopper and if you hadn’t already realised I may or may not of had a slight crush on her, Well, we’re not done yet. It only gets worse from here. 

“Wait! Burn your clothes? Your jacket too?” El asked. 

“Yeah, they’re covered in his blood and mud.” Max said. 

“No. No. You can’t burn the jacket! You love that jacket! You’re never seen without it!” El shouted. 

Max looked sad for a moment before shrugging. 

“No!” El shouted. 

“Well what am i meant to do?” Max asked. 

“I’ll clean it. I’ll wash it! Just don’t burn it.” El said. 

Max nodded. 

After the girls had buried Brenner and Max’s skateboard. 

They hurriedly started to walk towards Hopper’s, El leading the way. 

Once they were inside, they were met with warmth, causing Max to sink to the ground. 

“Hey, what time is it?” Max asked. 

El checked her phone. 

“Just gone half 5” El said as she got her darkest clothes and passed them to Max. 

El then looked over Max’s clothes. 

“Wait, don’t burn them. I like them.” El said. 

“You gonna wash these too?” Max said with a laugh. 

“Actually, yes.” El said matter-of-factly.

“Seriously? I cant have you washing my clothes.” Max said. 

“Well, you can and you will now give.” El said, putting her hand out. 

As soon as Max had showered and changed and El had done the same she hid Max’s clothes in a safe place, sat on Hoppers sofa and El put on a movie. 

“Why are we doing this?” Max asked. 

“Alibi.” El said as she sent the party gc a text saying ‘I’m at home. Hopper’s.” 

El knew the boys would be there in 15 minutes tops and she was right it didn’t take long before Mike was banging on the door. 

Max sighed.

“I don’t want to be here for this. Can I leave through the window?” Max asked, rolling her eyes deeply. 

“Max!” El said as she got up to open the door.

Max sighed and wrapped herself up in the blanket on Hoppers sofa and covered her face with it. 

El barely had time to open the door before Mike burst through and hugged El tightly, dropping her bag on the ground. 

“God! I was so worried!” Mike said.

“Well you shouldn’t be. I’m here. I’m fine.” El said, hugging Mike back, weakly. 

Mike pulled away slowly, realising that he wasn’t receiving the same energy from El. 

“Max?” Lucas said, towards the heap on the couch. 

“Hi.” Max said turning towards them. 

Mike looked at her and then sighed. 

“So what was so important that you had to take off like that?” Mike asked, rubbing his palm against his jeans. 

El shrugged while Will and Max simultaneously rolled their eyes. 

“Seriously? You have nothing to say?” Mike inquired.

“I don’t even know why I took off like that, just felt like being crazy.” El mumbled. 

There was a long silence. 

“Well! I’m glad you’re safe. Will, can you drive me home please?” Dustin asked, he cast a smile towards El before leaving. 

“Wait, Will, you can drive? Since when?” El asked. 

“Since... 3 hours ago.” Will said. 

El nodded slowly. 

“Does Joyce know you have her car?” Lucas asked. 

“By now, probably, so i’m dead. Max, would you like a ride home?” Will then asked. 

“Yes please.” Max said in a relieved tone as she threw off her blanket and left the house, not looking back at El. 

As the group reached outside the only people left were El, Mike and Lucas. 

“Lucas! Come on or i’m making you walk.” Will shouted. 

El and Mike were left. 

El smiled at Mike, but he frowned. 

“What’s up?” El asked as she climbed over the back of her couch and sat back in her spot, missing Max’s warmth.

“I was really worried, El.” Mike drawled. 

“Yeah, but i’m fine, so worry not.” El said with a laugh that Mike didn’t return. 

“I’m gonna... go home... I feel sick.” Mike asked. 

“Right now? It’s dark and Will’s gone.” El inquired. 

“It’s fine. I need the fresh air.” Mike mumbled as he left. 

Mike was lying, he didn’t feel sick, nor did he need the fresh air, but he needed to be away from El to clear his mind and El could tell that she didn’t want him around at that moment, so he left. 

Any other time El would’ve stopped him, but El was too preoccupied with the thought of the last three hours. 

Once El had rinsed all Max’s clothes of the blood she put them to dry all though she held on to Max’s jacket, hugging it tightly towards her and smelling it, it almost felt like the real thing. 

El use to do this with Mike’s clothes all the time. Use to. Mike. El sighed ‘What was going on with me?’. What was it about Max that made El want to drop everything and everyone?

El didn’t know what took over her, but suddenly she was sat down, blindfold around her eyes, radio static playing, all while holding Max’s jacket tightly. 

She soon found herself walking up the stairs of Max’s house she assumed. 

“God, we were getting worried!” Caitlin voiced. 

“Yeah! Did you forget you had a phone?” Sam Dean asked. 

“No. I just wasn’t using it.” Max said as she chased the two upstairs. 

Beverly was left behind, ‘rolling a blunt’, as Mike would say. 

El didn’t know Max smoked weed, she had only ever seen The Party do it on a few rare occasions and she never joined in.

After a while of the girls passing the joint around they were soon as high as kites, soft music played from Max’s speaker. 

“You know, Will wanted to join us tonight, but said he ‘didn’t want to intrude’” Max said, using air quotations. 

Max was laying on her back sprawled over her bed, her feet and head hanging off each end as she gazed off. 

“Little Willy Byers? Hehe Willy.” Sam Dean giggled as her British accent became more prominent, she was sprawled out in a small chair that occupied Max’s bedroom. 

“Wait, Zombie boy?” Beverly asked, earning her a slap from Max. 

“You can’t say that, Bev!” Caitlin said as she laid face down on Max’s floor. 

Beverly was sat at Max’s head. 

“No. No. I don’t mean it badly. It’s just what everyone calls him.” Beverly explained. 

“I like him” Beverly then added

“Moving swiftly on... Max do you wanna tell us where you actually were?” Sam asked. 

“I was just hanging out with El.” Max mumbled. 

“El? Are you two friends now?” Beverly rushed. 

“Not particularly. This was just a one off thing.” Max shrugged.

El frowned as she roamed her room. 

Beverly looked to the other girls in the rooms before relaxing. 

“Okay, guys, do the thing.” Sam said, straightening herself.

The other girl complied and El watched intently. 

Each girl raised their arms and pulled up their sleeves revealing matching bracelets with the pendants, MBSCS, dangling from them. 

“I miss Sofia.” Caitlin mumbled, looking at the empty spot where El was occupying. 

The girls stayed quiet for a moment and El felt bad, wanting to hug Max and never let go. 

“Okay! What’s the secret?” Caitlin said. 

Sam took a deep breath, running her hand over her face. 

“I- Uh- I slept with Troy.” Sam whispered. 

The girls were at Sam’s feet within seconds. 

“What?” They shouted. 

“Yeah... He came over for homework and we got.. drunk? Drunk enough for consent though! But drunk and... It happened and now i’m worried because if Stacey finds out...” Sam rambled. 

Max sighed. 

“She’ll ruin you if she finds out.” Max mumbled, leaning on Sam’s lap. 

“If she tries i’ll kill her.” Beverly said. 

“That’s cool and all but... Troy? Sam really?” Caitlin, asked. 

“Shut up.” Sam laughed and soon all girls were laughing, as smoke filled Max’s room. 

El laughed slightly too and frowned as the girls started to disappear from her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a filler chapter

El was left alone in the void. She sat quietly, swaying her hand through the water. El then sighed opening her eyes to find herself back in her bedroom. Alone. She put Max’s clothes in a bag and put the bag under her bed before calling Hopper. After a few rings he answered.

“Hey, Ellie.” He drawled. 

El cringed at the nickname but smiled.

“Hey, I just wanted to say that i’m at the cabin right now and I kind of want to stay, but it’s okay if you don’t want to! And if you want me to go to Joyce’s cause i know it’s probably not safe for me to be here alone but-“ El was rambling, she still wasn’t entirely use to asking for what she wanted sometimes she’d still hesitate or try to make it seem like she didn’t want it that much as to not seem demanding. Hopper had cut her off mid-sentence.

“It’s fine, El. I should probably spend a few nights over there anyway. Joyce is probably tired of me.” Hopper said.

El grinned.

“Okay! Well when you get here I might be asleep I don’t know. Bye!” El rushed. 

“Night, Ellie.” Hopper chuckled before El hung up. 

El then jumped on her bed with a smile before the thought of Brenner’s death dawned on her.

El frowned and wrapped her blanket around her curling up into the foetal position.

El went to her contacts and her finger lingered over Mike’s name for a bit before she pressed. 

The phone rang. And rang. And rang. And then she was declined. 

El sighed. At least he was alive enough to decline her call. 

El’s finger then lingered over Lucas’ name but she knew if Mike would be anywhere it would be with him so she went to Dustin, her answered on the first ring.

“Sup, El?” He said. 

“Hi, Dusty-Bun.” El replied.

There was a silence for a while. Dustin and El hadn’t had a proper one on one conversation in a while. Neither of them knew what to talk about. 

“I’m sorry, Dustin, I just needed someone to talk to...” El whispered. 

“What’s up?” He said, becoming attentive.

This is why everyone loved Dustin. He always had time for you. He always listened. He was the best friend you could ask for.

“I can’t.... Even explain it. Everything with me and Mike is so... Wrong... Right now.. And it’s usually so right and I don’t even know where I stand with myself and then all of us... What even is ‘us’? You’re barely around, Mike and Will are constantly fighting, Will hates me, I barely interact with any of you guys other than Mike and Lucas... He’s just trying to keep us all together and he knows he can’t, but he still tries and I feel so bad, Dustin. I feel horrible.” El hadn’t even realised, but she had started to cry, there was so much more she wanted to say but couldn’t. 

“I’m sorry, El. I’m sorry that everything between you and Mike is so messed up. I’m sorry that you don’t understand yourself anymore. I’m sorry that I’m barely around. I’m sorry that Mike and Will fight. I’m sorry that Will hates you,, But I think this is all just a part of growing up. ‘We’ grow apart. Everything will become clear soon enough. You just have to wait it out. I mean we may grow apart, but we’ve been through hell together, we’ll always come back to each other. Don’t let this get you down, El. You’ll always be my friend who’s crazy.” Dustin said. 

Hearing that from Dustin made her feel 10 times better immediately. El smiled.

“I wish I could hug you right now.” El whispered.

“Hug your phone and i’ll hug mine.” Dustin said, returning to his same old self.

El laughed and did as he said.

“Are you doing it?” He asked.

“Yes.” El giggled.

“Okay, good.” Dustin laughed.

After a few minutes El stopped hugging her phone. 

“Thank-you, Dustin.” She whispered.

“You’re welcome, El.” He said.

El waited before hanging up and falling asleep.


End file.
